Sub menu

Almond Mozzarella Cheese

June 30, 2011

If you think you can’t give up dairy because you love cheese, try our nut cheese recipes. This one is made from almonds. It makes a lot of cheese. I freeze it and only use a little at a time.

Makes about 4 cups

1 cup raw almonds, soaked in water for 4 hours or more (other nuts like cashews or macadamia nuts can be used or sunflower seeds if you have nut allergies; blanched almonds with the skins already removed may also be used to save time)
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp garlic powder
3 cups unsweetened soymilk or any nondairy milk
1/2 cup water
1 ounce agar powder or flakes. (The volume will vary based on the kind of agar you use. This is about 3 1/2 Tablespoons powder or 1/2 cup flakes. It is best to weigh the agar to be sure.)
1/2 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice, add more for a tarter cheese. Vinegar may be substituted. Depending on the kind of vinegar used will affect the flavor – some are more bitter, some are sweeter.

1. After almonds have soaked, remove the skins by gently pressing the nut causing the skin to slip off. Drain the water.
2. In a blender, put the almonds, nutritional yeast, salt, garlic powder. Pulse a few times, stirring to mix when off and then pulsing again.
3. Add a cup of nondairy milk and blend. Slowly add the remaining nondairy milk, a cup at a time. Then add in the oil, lemon juice and water.
4. Pour mixture in a large saucepan and mix in agar. Bring to a boil and lower heat to medium or medium low to simmer.
5. Cook, whisking regularly for at least 15 minutes to dissolve the agar and thicken.

6. Pour into lightly oiled bowls, loaf pans or other containers for cheese to harden in.
7. Let cool and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
8. When chilled and firm gently run a knife along the edges, turn over the bowl or pan and remove cheese. It should be a solid block.

You can now cut the block into smaller pieces. I like to wrap and freeze most of the cheese and keep a little in the refrigerator. Cheese will last for months in the freezer, and about 4 days in the refrigerator. This cheese can be sliced, grated and melted.

Flavor your Almond Mozzarella Cheese to create a perfect party cheese platter! Once the agar has dissolved in the almond mixture divide the mix into three parts. Pour one part into an oiled bowl as above. With another third add 2 Tablespoons of marinated sundried tomatoes and pour this into an oiled bowl to firm. To the last third add 2 Tablespoons of seeded, chopped jalapeño peppers.

91 comments for “Almond Mozzarella Cheese”

The agar flakes are a plant-based gelatin. They firm up the mixture so that it hardens and you can grate the cheese or slice it. You can make it without the agar and it will taste delicious, but it will be more like a cheese spread.

I just pulled my xanthan gum cheese out of the fridge after 9 hours and found it hadn’t set up. I found an online substitution guide that indicated using 1/2 the amount of xanthan gum as agar flakes so I tried using 1/2 oz in my recipe this time. It is nice and thick and creamy – will make an excellent alfredo sauce – but I will have to try again to see if I can get it to a consistency that is able to be grated. I’ll keep you posted!

Thank you for the link to your article. There is no xanthan is this almond mozzarella cheese recipe, although we do use xanthan in some of our gluten-free baked goods. We always use Bob’s Red Mill Xanthan Gum because this company has a commitment to using only non GMO ingredients in their products.

Zee Hardin

October 2, 2017 at 5:39 am

I used the Xantham in one of my test recipes… I tried one batch of Xantham Soft like fresh mozzarella, one batch of junket which was more like store bought, and one batch of agar agar (and I may have used too much) it was jmore the texture of a sharp cheddar. All three were how ever rather tasty

Zhuzhu

April 30, 2016 at 8:56 am

Xantham gum will thicken but it will never form a gel. No matter how much you add you won’t get a solid gratable cheese.

Sincerely appreciate the alternative to regular cheese but I have two questions:
1. Is there a substitute for the yeast as I am allergic.
2. Can I substitute other milks, such as almond milk for the soy milk?
Thanks so much.

Great questions. 1. The yeast is just a flavoring and you can absolutely leave it out. 2. Yes, you can substitute milks and it should be an unsweetened variety unless you want a dessert/sweet cheese. Let us know what you think of it when you make it.

I did not use agar powder which is why I put the amount in ounces as well so you can weigh whatever kind of agar you have to get the right amount. 1-2 ounces of agar is what is needed. More agar will make a harder cheese, less will be a creamier softer cheese.

Do you know if the soaking process would be quicker if I use slivered or sliced almonds rather than whole almonds? I have made cashew based cheese before, which was delicious. I am looking forward to trying an almond based cheese, as my husband seems to have tree nut allergies (cashew, peanut, pistachio) but seems ok with almonds. Thanks in advance.

I can’t wait to try this. All I can find is agar powder, though. What changes would I have to make to the recipe if i use that instead of flakes? I read you need to boil less if using powder, but not sure exactly. Thanks!

Powder is always better than flakes. If you can weigh it, that would be best. 1 ounce will give you a spreadable cheese. About 2 ounces will make it hard enough to slice. Cook it until the agar appears to have dissolved. Powder dissolves easier.

Agar Agar POWDER vs. FLAKES is NOT a 1:1 ratio. If a recipe calls for 1 tsp powder, 3 tsp flakes would be the equivalent. And of course the reverse as well. In this case, 1/2 C of flakes is equal to 8 teaspoons of powder. Or about 2 3/4 TB of powder.

Yes, you can make it without oil. The oil makes it melt better and have a smoother texture. You can take any nut or seed, soak them, drain the water, blend them with a little water until creamy and add seasonings to make a cheese-like spread. The agar will harden it making it more like cheese. Like this sunflower seed cheese spread, so simple, no oil: https://responsibleeatingandliving.com/?p=5160.

Yes, you can use roasted almonds. Unfortunately, in the U.S. it is no longer possible to get really raw almonds. In 2007 the USDA regulated that almonds must be pasteurized. This was in response to some salmonella outbreaks several years back. You can get raw almonds imported. Personally, I prefer the really raw almonds first, the pasteurized “raw” almonds second and the roasted one last, and always organic – for taste and nutritional value. But yes, you can use roasted.

Yes, you can use coconut milk. The only thing I would be concerned about is that coconut has a strong flavor. Most people use cashews in a cheese like this, or macadamias or pine nuts because of the creamy texture and a mellow flavor. I will have to try coconut milk. It should be delicious. I like the mix of coconut and basil so I would probably add some basil flakes. You can add hot red pepper flakes if you want to spice it up. Let us know how it comes out.

Almonds and cashews are the most popular choices for this kind of cheese recipe because when soaked and blended they get very creamy. But sunflower seeds can be used. The flavor is mild, but different. Without the agar agar to hard this recipe you can make a sauce or spread like our Sunflower Cheese Spread, https://responsibleeatingandliving.com/?p=5160. Someone recently asked if coconut milk could be used. I have not tried it but am sure it works fine, but the taste will be noticeably coconut. Sesame seed, in the form of tahini would work too. In fact, I need to try that! I love tahini.

I have no idea what i did wrong but the taste before it cooks is awful, i am cooking it right now, but i just dipped my finger in for a quick test and almost gagged! I had to use lemon juice from the bottle because i had no real lemon, but besides that, (and i didnt use as much lemon juice ) can you please tell me that it will taste awful before cooking?! that it is normal??! I am not having any luck with all the nut cheese recipes i have tried! And i am not normally a bad cook!

I am so sorry to hear that you are having problems. No it should not taste bad at all. Are you using nutritional yeast? There are other kinds of yeast, like Brewer’s yeast, which are not the same, and they taste awful. Perhaps you got the wrong kind?

You can easily figure out calorie differences at fitday.com or estimate based on the calories of plain almonds you use in the recipe. I do not worry about calories when I am eating plant foods and primarily whole foods or minimally processed.

We do not recommend using gelatin because it is not plant-based. It is made from collagen extracted from the skin, bones, and connective tissues of animals such as domesticated cattle, chicken, pigs, horses, and fish.

1. Lemon is not necessary, it’s just to give the tang. Normally, cheeses made with enzymes and probiotics grow the tangy flavor.

2. No the nut amounts should not change. You may find that the cheese is not as firm as you like it or too firm and you can adjust the amount of agar used to get the texture you like best. You can use seeds too, like sunflower seeds.

This turned out horribly. I’m no stranger to the kitchen and I used a kitchen scale for all the measurements. I do not have any agar, but I was ok with a spreadable cheese as my final product. But it’s almost as if there is way too much nutritional yeast. My cheese is tinted orange, smells terrible, and is essentially inedible. I have no idea what I could have done wrong.

Jennifer, I am so sorry to hear you did not have a good experience. I have no idea what you wrong either. Have you used nutritional yeast before? Are you sure you used nutritional yeast and not another kind of yeast, like Brewer’s Yeast, which really smells and tastes awful? – Caryn

If you soak the almonds as directed it should be smooth. I have a basic blender, nothing fancy or high powered and it worked fine. Did you remove the skins from the almonds? That would make it yellow. Using agar takes practice. Powder works faster and better than flakes or strips. I have used big strips some times and it took a long time to dissolve, more than 20 minutes and never completely dissolved, there were some small agar pieces remaining.

This is an interesting question. I prefer to start with whole raw almonds because I know they will be fresher, more nutritious and have less of a chance of being stale or rancid. I would look at ordering raw almonds online from Thrive Market or other online distributor of food. If you want to try it, I would soak the almond meal in the nondairy milk for a few hours so that when you blend it all together the meal will be soft enough to blend and get creamy. The almond meal I have seen typically has brown specs in it from the skin so that will transfer to the cheese as well.

Hi Jason, I wouldn’t recommend it. Almond milk is lacking the fiber and extra fat in whole almonds that give the cheese its texture and flavor. If you used almond milk instead it would be more like a savory almond jello or aspic. – Caryn

The recipe calls for one ounce. It’s important to go by weight because everyone seems to find agar in different forms – powder, flakes, strips. If you can weigh an ounce with a food scale that should work. Otherwise you might estimate how much an ounce would be based on how many ounces you have in your package of agar strips.

Hi Kimberly, The lemon is for flavor only to give the cheese a tart flavor. You may replace it with 3 Tablespoons of water or try a rice vinegar or white vinegar. I’d start with a mix of both: 1 1/2 Tablespoons of water mixed with 1 1/2 Tablespoons of vinegar. Both vinegars are neutral in color. It depends on how strong or mild the vinegar is, to your taste, as to how much you should add. – Caryn

Hello!! I made this recipe today and I have a couple of questions:
1. I weighted 1 oz of agar, because I found it powdered not flakes. But I couldn’t find the point of thickness that you show in the video. Could be the amount of agar?
2. How can you have yellow cheese like cheddar?
Thanks!!!

Welcome to the 21st Century! Plant ingredients are replacing animal ingredients in many food products, deliciously. And not only are they tasty, they are better for you, kinder to animals and gentler on the environment. By using milks from plant foods, like nuts, seeds and coconut, we can now make cheese, in the same way dairy cheeses have been made, aging them with cultures, creating many different luscious varieties. And there’s no need to rape a cow, make her pregnant, steal and murder her calf for meat, or slaughter her for hamburger meat when she doesn’t yield enough milk for profit. Using plants for milk does not create the enormous amount of pollution or greenhouse gases that threaten our environment. Vegans are a talented, creative bunch. Not only do we make foods with plants that traditionally use exploited animal products, like mayonnaise, hamburger, chicken, fish, eggs, etc but with vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, herbs and spices, our delicious and nutritious food choices are infinite.

It will never look exactly like stringy dairy cheese. It should soften with the heat. The oil in the recipe is what does that since the oil is liquid when heated. Slicing thinly or grating should help it heat up and soften faster.

I’ve received this question before and here is my response: This is an interesting question. I prefer to start with whole raw almonds because I know they will be fresher, more nutritious and have less of a chance of being stale or rancid. I would look at ordering raw almonds online from Vitacost, Thrive Market or other online distributor of food. If you want to try it, I would soak the almond meal in the nondairy milk for a few hours so that when you blend it all together the meal will be soft enough to blend and get creamy. The almond meal I have seen typically has brown specs in it from the skin so that will transfer to the cheese as well.

Hello! We are vegan newbies! Can’t find a non-dairy cheese we love. Going to try this one, first time making any. Can’t find any agave power or flakes. We tried Meijer, harvest market. Do you know who carries the flake?

There are a few commercial brands of vegan parm, like GoVeggie and Parma. They are readily available and pretty stinky! Many of us make our own mixes with a nut like walnut, cashew or almonds, ground together with nutritional yeast and salt. There are many recipes available online. Violife Parm is the closest I have tried to Parmesan Cheese.

I made this today and had it on pizza and it was great. I made a half portion and it made exactly 500g of cheese. It was nice to snack on whilst waiting for the pizza to cook too! I’m doing vegan keto and this is much lower carb than even the lowest carb cheese I can find on the market. Look forward to trying different flavours. Thank you!

Was not impressed with the results and I tried it twice. The first time I left the nut pulp in and it turned into a greyish mash, I stirred for over 1/2 hour and could not achieve the stretchy gooey texture in video, followed the instructions exactly. The second time I removed the nut pulp, before adding the rest of ingredients. Still had to cook it twice as long without achieving the correct texture. It gelled I to a sickly greenish yellow mass. Not very appetizing to look at

Hi Harriet, I am sorry the recipe didn’t work for you but from your description I don’t think you followed it correctly. There should be no nut pulp. In other words, if you didn’t use almonds that already had the skins removed, or if you didn’t soak and remove the skins, then it won’t come out. You should not use almonds with the skins. The skins must be remove. In addition, the almonds must be soaked for at least 4 hours. We have made this recipe many times, as have hundreds of others. This recipe is a winner. I hope you try it again! – Caryn

May 7, 2019

Listen: Tuesday, May 21, 2019, 4pm ET by going to PRN, The Progressive Radio Network. * Call in to the show with comments and questions: 1-888-874-4888. * Leave comments and questions on the PRN voicemail line, 862-800-6805, with your name, the name of this show, It’s All About Food, and your question to be…

Eat To Live Retreat

TRANSFORM YOUR HEALTH. Under the supervision of Dr. Fuhrman and his highly-skilled staff they will utilize cutting-edge nutritional protocols and provide the services you need to recover your health naturally and completely.